


to seek the sea

by NotSummer



Series: Abanash Adaar [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F, First Meetings, Fluff, introductions, lots of sea related metaphors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-05 23:40:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12199596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotSummer/pseuds/NotSummer
Summary: Josephine had good reason to be distracted in that first meeting. At least she remembered to ask the Inquisitor's name.Abanash





	to seek the sea

**Author's Note:**

> "Aban" is "sea". "Ash" is "to seek". Abanash: to seek the sea.

The first thing Josephine notices is the woman’s height. She ducks under the doorway to get in, careful of her horns, and stops a few feet in, clearly not wanting to test her welcome. The second thing Josephine notices are her eyes, bright blue with flecks of green, the same green as the Breach.

“You’re… even taller than I imagined,” Josephine stutters, and in response, the first hint of anything other than impassivity crosses the Herald’s face.

“You’ve been daydreaming about me?” Her voice is soft, nearly monotone, but her tone still carries wisps of amusement, like the occasional crest of a wave on an otherwise still sea.

She turns her attention back to the other advisers, and Josephine does her best take a deep breath while looking poised. It was… not the worst, as first impressions go, but it was… not the best, either.

Her mouth runs on autopilot as she studies the woman, aware of the ebbs and flows of the tensions in the room, but she couldn’t tell you what the meeting was about.

The third thing she notices about the Herald occupies her mind: the woman’s voice, deceptively quiet, calm, even, but hiding a depth of emotion and power if you knew how to listen. Josephine was a bard and a diplomat: she could hear the undercurrents of fear and stress and anger and impatience as easily as she could see the relaxed smile on the woman’s face.

“And how do you feel about that?”

“I’m  _no_ Herald, not of  _anything_ , and  _particularly_ not  _Andraste_.” The anger swells, and Josephine sees apprehension cross Cullen’s face. The monsoon had just broiled to the surface, and Cullen was well aware of what a furious Qunari could be capable of. Her fists clench at her side, but her anger subsides quickly.

Or it appeared to.

She nods gratefully at Cassandra when Cassandra snaps, “We need other options. I will not leave everything to the Herald.” She turns to leave, a graceful retreat, and Josephine realizes there is one last important thing they have yet to ask.

“Herald? Our records are unavailable, and I’m afraid no one has asked you for your name.”

“You’re right. No one has asked my name, just if I was Tal-Vashoth or Qunari.” She looks over her shoulder to meet Josephine’s eyes, still facing the door. “My name is Abanash Adaar.”


End file.
